I have good news…and I have bad news.

First, the good news.

By joining the Fed Retirement Planning Community you will be saying goodbye to being in the dark on your finances, your TSP, FEGLI, and all of the rest of your benefits.

BUT, here’s the bad news, it takes work.

Unfortunately, you can’t download all of the information you need into your brain like you can a hard drive. However, you certainly can work to make changes in your life and career to set you on a path to success.

The Fed Retirement Planning Community embodies the principles of this blog and what it is committed to. Most federal employees and just people, in general, have a HUGE disconnect between their finance fantasy and reality.

And, to be honest, I’m sick of it.

The reason I’m sick of it is because I know that with the proper guidance and simplification, many federal employees financial woes can be fixed.

Below is the core beliefs of what the Fed Retirement Planning Community are about and theirs multiple ways to get involved.

Rule #1

We Believe It’s Never Too Late to Get Started

The word “never” isn’t really even in the dictionary of the Fed Retirement Planning Community.

We aren’t a community of quitters, but we understand that sometimes you have to transition from one thing to the next in order to improve.

It’s time to stop worrying about the things you can’t control, and to figure out the bare minimum thing you need to be doing in order to get started.

Start contributing to the TSP? Do it.

Create a budget? Doesn’t happen on its own.

Build an emergency fund? Make it happen.

There’s no time like the present. It’s time to start.

Rule #2

We Keep Our Debt in Check

One of the biggest financial obstacles I see in people’s lives is to stop living paycheck to paycheck.

Seriously, it’s an absolute struggle and in all reality doesn’t have to be.

Now you may be saying, “sure for you, but I have X expenses and Y payments and Z dependents, yadda yadda ya.

I’ve heard it and SEEN it all before. I’ve also helped about as many people who complain about their day to day struggle overcome it.

And you do you know what the best way to overcome living paycheck to paycheck is?

Taking on as little debt as possible!

To most people, that just doesn’t sound that fun.

They’d rather have instant gratification than the opportunity to retire on their terms and live how they’ve always dreamed.

This isn’t how the Fed Retirement Planning Community lives, however.

Rather than financing things we don’t really need to satisfy a desire that in all reality isn’t there, we make smart buying decisions.

We build a proper foundation in our finances so we aren’t struggling paycheck to paycheck or overly stressed when an unexpected circumstance occurs.

Understand the Reality

Debt can absolutely destroy you. And I’m speaking from experience with clients and friends.

Getting out of debt should be priority #1.

Take control today!

Rule #3

We Seek Out Help in Areas We Need it

This one might seem obvious, but I can’t tell you how many federal employees I meet with who are afraid to ask questions.

If you don’t know something, that’s okay, get an answer for it.

What’s not okay is going your whole career not understanding one of your benefits simply because you don’t want to ask a question that you think may sound silly.

There are no silly/stupid questions except for the one that isn’t asked.

I’ll give you a real life example.

I like to golf, however, it’s something I’ve only picked up in the past couple of years.

In golf, there are all sorts of jargon (nothing like the financial world mind you) that it can be difficult at times to understand what’s being said.

The buddies I would go to the course with used to always talk about their handicap and I had NO IDEA what a handicap was.

They would talk about it so nonchalantly that I felt stupid for asking what it was until finally I asked and they told me.

Imagine doing that, but on a much larger scale with something that can affect the rest of your life like the TSP or one of your benefits?

I see it every day.

So, always ask the question and always seek help from others who may know more on the subject than you do.

By the way, a handicap in golf tells you how good (or bad) a player is. The lower the handicap, the better.

Rule #4

We Always Verify What We Hear

The good old watercooler.

Where co-workers come together and share many brilliant ideas, and some not so much.

To be completely honest, I’ve had to completely refresh people’s thinking from the things they’ve heard at the watercooler.

Just to give you an example of some of the claims I’ve had to dismiss:

• “Is it true if I don’t withdrawal my TSP when I retire then they take it?”
• “I was talking to my friend the other day and they said that FEGLI (Federal Employee Group Life Insurance) was free.”

And that’s only a very small start.

Something else that comes up is the finance expert relative.

“Well my brother bought Walmart years ago and has made a lot of money, so I just do what he tells me and he said to put all my TSP money in the International Fund.”

I want to make it clear that there are no problems in listening to trusted friends and family members. However, you should verify that what they are telling you is indeed valid.

The same goes for the news or actual financial professionals. If a financial advisor tells you to do something without any reasoning why I would suggest getting a second opinion.

Just because they have a license on the wall, doesn’t always mean they have your best interest in mind.

Rule #5

We Give and Give and Give and Give…

The Fed Retirement Planning Community will have more knowledge on their career and retirement than just about any other federal employee.

That’s great.

But, you shouldn’t horde that information.

If you see an article, email, video, or anything else that may help a co-worker; send it to them.

If a co-worker is having a difficult time and you know just how to help them; then do it.

It’s great to gain knowledge and feel secure in your own future, but it’s even greater to help someone else do it.

It’s the main reason I started as a financial planner and created this blog.

Let’s Do this!

So you’ve read what the Fed Retirement Planning Community is all about.

If any of this resonates you, then join us! Or if you just want to find out what it’s all about, you can take it for a test ride.

There’s no obligation, cost, or anything else.

Join The Fed Retirement Planning Community Here: